While in earlier motor vehicles the front headlights were rigidly connected to the body of the motor vehicle, most of the modern motor vehicles encompass an adjusting device, with which the front headlights can be adjusted within certain ranges, for example as a function of the payload of the motor vehicle (lighting range control), of its driving direction (curve lighting adaptation), etc. Overall, this system increases the driving safety. In addition, there are also headlight systems, which are to adapt the adjustment of the headlights according to the driving style of the driver of the motor vehicle.
The so-called AFL-headlight system, wherein AFL stands for “adaptive forward lighting”, for example, is such a headlight system, which has an adjusting device for adjusting the headlights. The term AFL identifies front headlights for motor vehicles, the light of which adapts itself to the respective driving situation. Such AFL headlight systems exist in a plurality of different embodiments and variants, which, for the most part, differ from one another for the different vehicle manufacturers. The invention as well as the problems on which the invention is based will be described below with reference to such AFL headlight systems, however without thereby limiting the invention thereto.
The present technological development of headlight systems increasingly deals with adaptive, changeable headlight systems, e.g. for attaining improved visibility conditions in different driving situations as well. The instant invention relates to a headlight system, such as the AFL headlight system, where provision is made for devices for changing the brightness and/or the illumination range, that is, so-called adaptive headlight systems comprising lighting ranges and lighting directions, which can be changed depending on the driving situation and brightness condition. An improved illumination of the curves as compared to normal headlights is attained with AFL headlight systems, for example by means of movable lenses in the headlight. The pivoting of the lenses is controlled by a separate control device, which computes the optimal pivot value for the lenses from speed and steering angle. Typically, AFL headlight systems are equipped with xenon light or, in the alternative, with halogen light as well. In the case of xenon light, the advantage is that, for legal reasons, xenon headlights must already be equipped with a continuous automatic lighting range control and that a control device is required for this. In the case of an AFL headlight system, only the function of said control device must be expanded. As an additional option of AFL headlight systems, provision can be made for a specific direction indicator light, the so-called “cornering”, which can be activated in response to slow speeds and when a certain steering angle is reached and/or when a blinker is operates.
Oftentimes, modern motor vehicles have different operating modes. In addition to the normal operation, such operating modes can, e.g., provide for a sports mode, a comfort mode, etc. In the sports mode, for example, provision can be made for the internal combustion engine of the motor vehicle to provide an immediate and thus more rapid response, for a turbocharger or a turbocharger stage to be switched on, for the insulation of the shock absorbers to be adjusted to be harder, for the underbody to be balanced to be harder, for the brakes to grip stronger and the like. If required, the driver of the motor vehicle can activate this sports mode for example by means of a switch or by means of a button. In response to the activation of this operating mode, it is important that the driver of the motor vehicle perceives at least a noticeable change in the behavior of the motor vehicle. This subjective sensation consists of acoustic, optical and other perceptions.
In the case of the optical perception when the sports mode is switched on, there is a need for the driver of the motor vehicle to recognize this switchover at least in a change of the perception of the light emitted by the front headlights. If he recognizes this, this switchover from normal operation to a sports operation will seem to make sense to him from an optical aspect and he will also associate this with a sportive operation.
If motor vehicles are equipped with a device for adjusting the headlights, as this is the case with an AFL headlight system, this AFL headlight system can be included for the switchover to the sports operation. For the sports operation, the headlights are thereby changed by means of the adjusting device of the AFL headlight system in such a manner that the driver of the motor vehicle can effectively recognize a “nervous” behavior of the headlights. To be able to ensure this “nervous” behavior of the headlights, the headlight system is adjusted in such a manner that the headlights respond more immediately. The driver of the motor vehicle will immediately associate this “nervous” behavior of the headlights with a sportier, slightly more aggressive driving behavior, which is inherent to the sports operation.
It is problematic, however, that for illumination purposes of the headlights, it is not recommended to adjust a large response behavior of the headlights and to thus design the reaction of the headlights to be too aggressive, that is, it is necessary here for the headlights not to show a “nervous” behavior, if possible.
Two opposite demands are thus conflicting, namely on the one hand, the high response behavior of the headlights required for marketing-technical reasons for example and, on the other hand, the response behavior of the headlights required for illumination purposes, which should be as low as possible.
Against this background, it is at least one object of the instant invention to specify a headlight system and a behavior for the operation thereof, which enable an improved perceptibility of the operating modes in response to a switchover and yet a safe mode of operation for a motor vehicle comprising a plurality of adjustable operating modes. In addition, other objects, desirable features and characteristics of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent summary, detailed description, and the appended claims, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and this background.